David Coulter, Oakland County executive, has announced Oakland Health 360, a partnership among Oakland County Health Division, Honor Community Health, and Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency.
The initiative is designed to make health care and support services available to more than 227,000 residents who are uninsured or underinsured in Oakland County.
The program will enhance access to primary care, mental and behavioral health, family planning, and dental services, especially for women and children.
“Oakland Health 360 is a game changer for those who are uninsured or underinsured in Oakland County,” Coulter says. “If you come in one of our doors to have your child immunized or receive a lead screening, I want you to be able to have a cancer or diabetes screening, talk to a mental health professional, get assistance with prescription drug costs, have a dental checkup, and receive primary care.”
The services soon will be available at the North Oakland Health Center in Pontiac and the South Oakland Health Center in Southfield, provided by Honor Community Health. The program also will include a partnership with Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency to ensure residents have support services including access to insurance coverage, early childhood education, home weatherization, and emergency services such as energy, food, and housing assistance. It will also provide navigation services for programs including Michigan Department of Health and Human Services benefits assistance
“We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve as a major partner with a county that understands the need for us to work together for the betterment of our community,” says Debbie Brinson, CEO of Honor Community Health.
North Oakland Health Center is located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Building 34 East. South Oakland Health Center is located at 27725 Greenfield Road. Hours are from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday and 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday.
Depending on where people live in Oakland County, there is a 14 to 20-year difference in life expectancy. In some neighborhoods in Pontiac, the life expectancy is 66, while this number is 72 for some neighborhoods in Southfield and 86 in Troy.
The partnership addresses many common barriers to health care residents may experience. In 2018, among residents living in seven cities, 37 percent lacked access to sufficient primary care services, and 39 percent of residents in these same areas lacked access to adequate mental health services.
There also is a higher percentage of residents living in these areas who are uninsured compared to the country overall, and a significant portion who have not received key preventive services or dental care. These communities include Ferndale, Hazel Park, Lathrup Village, Madison Heights, Pontiac, Oak Park, Southfield, and a zip code in Troy.
“Many of our clients face a complexity of issues when they must seek assistance at multiple locations and providers,” says Kathy Forzley, director of Oakland County Health and Human Services. “Creating a one stop shop for these services allows us to better address the full spectrum of needs we identified in these communities.”
